First look: Top story lines, betting odds for South Carolina vs Troy football game
South Carolina football’s two-week homestand continues this Saturday, as the Gamecocks host Troy in its last out-of-conference matchup before settling into a six-week, all-Southeastern Conference grind.
USC will look to bounce back from offensive struggles in last weekend’s 16-10 loss to Kentucky. The Gamecocks’ defense continued to generate turnovers in league competition and set up the offense with favorable field position, but offensive trouble on third and fourth down kept the game from reach.
The Troy Trojans are coming off a conference-opening 29-16 loss in the Sun Belt against Louisiana-Monroe, but they boast one of the nation’s best defenses and feature a former SEC quarterback.
How to watch South Carolina vs Troy football game
Who: South Carolina Gamecocks (2-2, 0-2 SEC) vs. Troy Trojans (2-2, 0-1 Sun Belt)
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C.
When: 3:30 p.m. Saturday
TV: SEC Network
This week’s SEC betting odds, TV times
The Gamecocks opened as a 9-point favorite against Troy on Sunday. That was down to 7.5 by Sunday evening.
College football open point spreads, according to VegasInsider.com
- Noon: Arkansas at Georgia (-18)
- Noon: Tennessee at Missouri (-3)
- 3:30 p.m.: Ole Miss at Alabama (-17.5)
- 3:30 p.m.: Troy at South Carolina (-7.5)
- 6 p.m.: Florida (-8) at Kentucky
- 7 p.m.: Mississippi State at Texas A&M (-8)
- 7:30 p.m.: UConn at Vanderbilt (-14)
- 9 p.m.: Auburn at LSU (-4)
The state of the Gamecocks
South Carolina’s defense continues to be its brightest spot, coming up with three turnovers against Kentucky and giving its offense favorable field position throughout the night. Safety Jaylan Foster came up with his fourth interception of the year, tying him at first place in the FBS with Oregon’s Verone McKinley.
The Gamecocks’ main issues lie within the offense’s inability to convert on critical downs or produce explosive plays. South Carolina only reached the red zone once against Kentucky, despite starting multiple drives in Wildcats territory.
USC’s conference slate started out with a road trip against one of the country’s best defenses at Georgia and a physical battle with Kentucky. Some of its more glaring problems, like in the run game or in pass protection, could have a chance to be worked out against non-conference Troy.
The state of the Troy Trojans
Troy’s most recent loss to Louisiana-Monroe was a surprise in the Sun Belt, as the Trojans entered as 24-point favorites and the Warhawks hadn’t won a conference game since 2019.
Like South Carolina, Troy’s defense is the strength of the team. Troy is ranked fifth in the country in total defense, allowing opponents 243.5 yards per game. The Trojans are also able to get to quarterbacks, tied for second in the country with 18 sacks this season.
Troy’s offense, particularly in its run game, has stalled out at critical moments. The Trojans weren’t able to get anything going on the ground against Louisiana-Monroe, gaining 67 yards on 23 attempts last weekend.
Quarterback Taylor Powell has been able to get the offense going in the air, but an interception returned for a 96-yard touchdown sealed the Trojans’ fate against the Warhawks last weekend.
3 Troy players to watch
Taylor Powell, QB: Powell is no stranger to SEC action, having played two seasons at Missouri where he backed up Drew Lock and Kelly Bryant. He’s seen better results since taking the reins at Troy, completing 69% of his passes for 1,008 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions through the Trojans’ first four games.
Javon Solomon, DE: Solomon has recorded the most sacks in FBS football this season with 5.5, tied with Florida State’s Jermaine Johnson and Army’s Andre Carter. The 6-foot-2, 246-pound redshirt freshman came down with two of those sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss in the Trojans’ loss to Louisiana-Monroe last weekend.
Carlton Martial, LB: The Trojans’ veteran linebacker can generate turnovers and has forced a fumble and picked off an interception this year. In his four-year career at Troy, Martial has forced seven fumbles and hauled in five interceptions, including one for a touchdown in 2019.
This story was originally published September 27, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "First look: Top story lines, betting odds for South Carolina vs Troy football game."
